Military confrontation between the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and
the Burma Army (BA) that began in May has yet to show any signs of
let-up and is slowly building up to showdown, according to local and
Thai border sources.

“Wa villagers (who had moved down to the Thai Burmese border since
1999) are no longer arrogant toward their Shan and Lahu neighbors as
before,” said a respected local. “They are selling their livestock cheap
and saying they’ll take refuge on the Thai side of the border once the
shooting begins.”

According to sources, the Burma Army has issued a series of demands
to the UWSA’s 171st Military Region that is holding several areas along
the border in two townships: Mongton in the west and Monghsat in the
east, opposite Maehongson, Chiangmai and Chiangrai provinces:

No expansion of rubber plantations and founding of new towns without permission

Not to travel through BA controlled areas bearing arms and wearing UWSA uniforms

To present a list of the UWSA outposts and bases together with the names of the commanders and strengths.

To pull out from outposts in 4 locations: Kiulom in Mongjawd; and
Namzarm, Hsarm Hsoom and an unidentified location in Monghsat by Sunday,
7 July 2013

“The Wa have instead beefed up their positions along the border,”
said a Thai border watcher. “Wei Xuegang (commander of the 171st)
reportedly ordered his brigade commanders, ‘if they shoot, we shoot.’”

There are 5 UWSA brigades in the 171st Military Region: 778th, 772nd,
775th, 248th and 518th, totaling 7,000 strong together with their own
militias, according to a Wa source.

The tension which was no more than an annoyance after the Wa called
for a separate state of their own in March and refusal to allow
Naypyitaw’s administrative personnel into Wa-controlled territories came
to a head after reports of the UWSA launch of a rubber
plantation-cum-new town project in Mong Khid, Mongton township in May.
This was followed in June by the killing of a Tachilek resident by a Wa
gunman believed to be a follower of Xi Guoneng, an official in the Wa’s
Hong Pang Company (new renamed Thawda Win).

The victim was said to have opened a case with the police after Hong
Pang had forcibly taken land and bulldozed the buildings inside the
land.

Xi Guoneng, also written Shi Kuo Neng, is one of the 26 individuals
named by the US Treasury Department on 13 November 2008 as Specially
Designated Narcotics Traffickers pursuant to Kingpin Act.

“The Burma Army is also unhappy about reports that the UWSA is giving
material support to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA),” said a Thai
security source.

Naypyitaw, according to some reports, had dispatched an envoy to
negotiate with the Wa last week, but nothing has been disclosed about
the meeting, which took place at Kunma, north of the Wa capital
Panghsang. Wa leader Wei Xiegang is said to have established close
business and personal relationship with U Aung Thaung, the ruling Union
Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)’s special adviser.